To a flame

Boromir had almost kept his promise. On a bright spring day, Aragorn rode into Minas Tirith, ascended to the White Tree along the path of flowers, and accepted the crown of Gondor from the Steward's hands. And there, taking all the free peoples of Middle-earth as witnesses, the King and the Steward exchanged oaths of love and loyalty. They planted a new sprout of the great Tree, and by summer it was in bloom. Minas Morgul was razed to the ground, and Osgiliath once again raised its white towers to the sky. But the capital was now always in Minas Tirith, which had been defended with great pain. Aragorn ordered two thrones to be placed in the Hall of Kings, and Boromir always sat beside him in councils and courts. He retained the title of Steward, but Aragorn also gave him the right of the princes of the blood to sit in the king's presence, never to kneel, but even to argue, to call the king unkind terms and occasionally to twist his finger at his temple. Not one of them lost his stubbornness, and in heated arguments the truth was born. Together, the two lords of Gondor laid a new stronghold of strength and light from the great Sea in the south to the Grey Heavens in the north. In the long months when Aragorn was forced to leave Gondor on the business of Arnor, Boromir remained sole ruler. While they were still alive, songs were sung to both of them, and they sang not only of swords and battles, but also of a love that had no barriers. And the first such song was sung by Arwen Undomiel, who came with her father as a guest to the coronation. She gave Aragorn another standard of blue silk embroidered with silver and gold, and her blessing to Boromir. Every human age comes to an end. The sons of Denethor absorbed their mother's Elven blood and their father's Númenor blood, but they were still no match for the blood of Elendil. Boromir had outlived his younger brother by one hundred and forty years. Time was merciful to him, and he retained his sanity and strength until his last days. Like his father, he had not even turned grey. So his departure, swift and unpredictable, was a great blow to Gondor. As for Aragorn, he lived another twenty years alone. One day one of his retainers stammered that now that his majesty was free of his vows, he could take a wife. Aragorn replied that he was not free, but dead. He did not withdraw into himself, but became sadder, sterner and more severe. Aragorn was buried in the same grave with Boromir and under the same slab. Two bas-reliefs were made on the slab. One depicted Boromir with his left hand on his chest, on which his shield was attached. Aragorn, on the other hand, held a sword with his right hand on his chest. The free hands of the King and the Steward were joined and their fingers intertwined. This is how they have stood guard over the world all their lives, and will continue their watch until the end of time.